North Star® Boxwood (Buxus)
Shrub
- Year-round appeal! Enjoy this evergreen all year long.
- Stunning globe-shaped habit requires little to no pruning.
- Extremely versatile! Looks stunning as a low-growing hedge or in a container.
- Certified Deer Proof™ by Proven Winners® ColorChoice Shrubs.
- Zones 5-9, sun/part sun/shade, 2.5' tall x 2.5' at maturity.
ZONE
EXPOSURE
HEIGHT
UNABLE TO SHIP TO: TN, PA
Description
Details
Patent #: PP 15,998
Common name: Boxwood
Zone: 5 -9
Sun exposure: Sun (6+ Hours sun), part sun (4-6 hours sun), shade (<4 hours sun)
Height x width: 2-2.5' x 2-2.5'
Foliage color: Green
Season of Interest: Year-Round
Bloom time: Early spring
Features: Winter interest, space savers, rabbit resistant, deer resistant, Proven Winners, evergreens, container plants, best for beginners
Uses: Accent, border, container gardening, edging, foundation planting, hedge, small spaces
How to Grow
Light: Sun/part sun/shade. Will grow well in a variety of part shade situations, including open sun-dappled conditions or light shade with several hours of morning sun or early afternoon sun. Plants can grow in close to full shade, but typically are less vigorous and more open with decreased foliage density. When grown in full sun, plant foliage is more likely to scorch, bronze in winter, or suffer from mite attacks.
Water: Evenly moist, average
Spacing: 2-4'
Fertilizing: Boxwood roots appreciate a good organic (e.g., bark or compost) mulch (1-2"). Apply a balanced fertilizer, such as a 10-10-10 ratio fertilizer, or slow release fertilizer after the second year of growth by spreading it evenly over the surface of the soil (follow label directions), and watering it in.
Winterizing: Boxwood is best sited in locations sheltered from strong winds, with, if possible, some protection from full winter sun. Foliage may bronze in winter when exposed to half day to full day sun. Winter winds can remove moisture from leaves at a rapid rate, often resulting in dehydration and bronzing. Carefully remove heavy snow accumulations as quickly as practicable to minimize stem/branch damage.
Maintenance & Pruning: Plants are generally tolerant of pruning and shearing. Pruning should never be done prior to the last spring frost date. Pruning too early in spring often promotes tender new growth that may be damaged or killed by a late spring frost. Avoid cultivating around plants because they have shallow roots.
Plant spacing is based on the ultimate width of the plants. This figure is normally given as a range; for example, 3-5’. If you live in a cold climate and/or want plants to fill in more quickly, plan to space at the shorter end of the range. If you live in a warm climate, are on a limited budget, or are willing to wait longer for plants to touch, use the higher end of the range. Using the larger number is recommended when calculating distance from a building or structure. There’s really no such thing as "maximum spacing": if you don’t want your plants to touch, you can space them as far apart as you’d like. All plant spacing is calculated on center, or in other words, the centers of the plants are spaced one half of their eventual width apart:
Unless you are planting in a straight line, as you might for hedges or edging, space your plants in a staggered or zig-zag pattern for a more interesting and naturalistic look:
Not sure just how many plants will fit in your garden? Our calculator gives you the exact amount of plants required for your space. Simply update the values and the calculator will re-calculate accordingly. Spacing information can be found in the 'How to Grow' tab on each plant's page.
The size of the plants received is extremely disappointing for the price. Even with a discount, the shrubs are nothing more than a few twigs. Aside from the overpriced size, the plants did arrive healthy.
I'm sorry you are not satisfied with your plants!
We do note that all of our plants are young on each product page and on our plant sizes page (found here). The size and maturity of the plants varies widely depending on the time of the year you purchased and if they were recently trimmed. The important thing when it comes to purchasing plants, whether online or in a garden center, is that they have a full, robust root system, and that's what we prioritize in our greenhouses.
The more roots a plant has, the more energy it can put into growing once it is planted in your garden. We do keep our plants trimmed to encourage strong root development!
A lot smaller than expected. Good quality plants. Hope they grow!
The prettiest boxwood I’ve ever seen. Healthy, and beautiful color. Will definitely be ordering more.
The plants arrived to very good condition I planted them in a temporary bed and they look healthy
They came packaged nicely, and looking good. I've planted them and look forward to watching them grow.
Planted my new boxwood plants a couple of weeks ago. They arrived in good condition and seem to be doing well. Keeping them watered and will see how they do.
The boxwood were packed really well, well watered and trimmed very small. So far, they are doing fine.
I believe I ordered a total of 11 of these, in 2 separate orders. 2 of them died, while the 9 others are doing great. If it hadn't been for the 2 "deaths in the family", I'd have given 5 stars. Right off the bat, I love the color and shape of these shrubs.
We're sorry you're having trouble with your plants. Our team of horticulture experts would love to take a closer look! Please contact us at [email protected] with your order number and photos of the plants so we can better assist you. All orders are covered by our 60-day guarantee. We look forward to helping!
These are first-rate plants. I bought five of them; all doing terrific and growing like crazy. Don't forget to water during the first season!
My purchase of the Northstar Boxwood is in the garden and growing with new growth in less than a month. Very pleased with the quality of the plant on arrival and now.
Plants arrived on time, healthy and met my expectations. Will order from Great Garden Plants again. Thank you!
Plants arrived well packaged and very healthy. All six plants are planted and showing new growth already. I am very pleased with my purchase and will definitely shop here again. Thank you! Jill B.
Plants Doing fine thank you
Nice plants, but only 9" tall. Considering I'm pushing 80, I guess that makes me an optimist.
Hello! We're sorry that you're unsatisfied with your plants. We do note that all of our plants are young on each product page and on our plant sizes page https://www.greatgardenplants.com/pages/sizes.The size and maturity of the plants varies widely depending on the time of the year you purchased and if they were recently trimmed. The important thing when it comes to purchasing plants, whether online or in a garden center, is that they have a full, robust root system, and that's what we prioritize in our greenhouses.The more roots a plant has, the more energy it can put into growing once it is planted in your garden. We do keep our plants trimmed to encourage strong root development!
I bought 4 of these for my front yard. Struggled to get them out of the cans because they were INTENSELY rooted. Very satisfied with the quality of these little plants.
Received very small, small shrubs. Expensive for the size you receive. But did receive healthy looking plants that appear to be going okay. Although, only has been planted for about three weeks. Shipping was fast.
Planted 3 of these a few weeks ago and they are taking well in a mostly shady area. I would say that they will need pruning to acquire a rounded shape because contrary to the description they grow erratically. Rather small plants hoping by next year to see more growth. Nice and healthy
Ordered ten Northstar Boxwood plants for a low hedge in front of my flower bed. The plants arrived on-time, were well-packaged, and all appeared healthy. They've been in the ground for almost three weeks and seem to be doing very well.
North Stars came boxed beautifully. Perfectly suitable for my dream garden. Just have to let them GROW!
They arrived in perfect condition and are thriving
Beautiful and healthy plants, but I think summer in Florida was not the best time to plant them in full sun. Some of them changed from a beautiful green to an ugly desiccated green. I ended up with five dead ones and the rest were moved to the bit of shaded spot I have or planted in pots and placed in the lanai. So far they are doing fine in the shade and pots.
I have had boxwood shrubs in my yard for over 10 years. North Star Boxwood variety is a low growing compact shrub, which I was unable to find at my local nursery, When I saw them on GGP website I order 6 shrubs immediately. Plants arrived healthy and in good condition.
I recently purchased two North Star boxwoods and pleasantly surprised at how healthy the plants looked when they arrived and how well they were packaged. After a few weeks planted in my garden, they are thriving.
I purchased these as foundation plants. They are compact which is perfect for planting under low windows. The lush green color is also the perfect backdrop for colorful bedding plants in the garden. They arrived in excellent condition and have tolerated installation and our crazy weather quite well. Appear to be strong, yet delicate. I am considering purchasing more for other areas around my home and garden. I highly recommend North Star Boxwood.
Can these grow in a pot?
Yes, they can! North Star® Boxwood's compact, globe-shaped habit look stunning in a container!
How fast do the boxwoods grow
Hi there! Under ideal conditions, North Star Boxwood will on average 3-5 inches a year.
How large are these plants when shipped? I gal, 2 gal or less?
Hi there! North Star® Boxwood is available in a one quart or one gallon container. You can learn more about plant sizes here:
I'm wondering if the sizes in reviews were for the quart size north star boxwood. I would order the gallon size, are they a good amount larger than the quart? Getting older and need quicker impact :/ Thank you
Hi! You can find information on plant sizes here:
Are North Star Boxwoods disease resistant?
Hello! Yes, North Star Boxwoods are known for being quite disease resistant, especially to Boxwood blight!